Automatic circuit breaker



Nov. 16, 1937. M. K. HINDE AUTOMATIC CIRCUIT BREAKER Filed Sept 16,19-33 2 a J 2 8 zfiTw. E M 6 m d W m 37 0 T K 2 m T a T M M 2 m W r w; mm M 1 {a a s. a 3 f $x\\\ AW W98 l 2 II w 3; 7 9 z m w 2 K w m 55 4 2 B.4 W 4 Patented Nov. 16, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATICCIRCUIT BREAKER Marlon Kelly Hinde, Atlanta, Ga.

Application September 16, 1936, Serial No. 101,144

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in circuit breakers in general,and has particular reference to a circuit breaker adapted to be mountedon an automobile for the purpose of automatically breaking the ignitioncircuit of the motor whenever the automobile becomes either inverted ortilted at a dangerous angle.

In the prior art circuit breakers have been applied to automobiles forthis purpose, but the break in the circuit upon inversion or tilt of theautomobile occurs only while the vehicle is inverted or tilted andbecomes closed when the vehicle is returned toproper position. Thisfrequently results in setting lire to the vehicle, because theinversion, whether due to collision or otherwise, usually efl'ects therelease of gasoline fumes or vapors which are likely to cause fire bycoming in contact with live wires 01' the ignition system.

It is the main object the present invention, therefore, to provide acircuit breaker in the ignition circuit of a motor vehicle, which willbreak the circuit upon inversion of the vehicle or its tilt to adangerous angle, and which will maintain the circuit broken afterthe'righting oi the vehicle and until the circuit is deliberately closedby an operator.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the detaileddescription thereof proceeds.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic layout of a preferred form of the invention,and including a circuit breaker shown in central longitudinal section;

Figure 2 is a top plan view, to an enlarged scale, of the circuitbreaker shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section, to an enlarged scale, taken on theline 3-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a section similar to that shown in Figure 1, but with thecircuit breaker in horizontal position;

Figure 5 is a central longitudinal section through another form 01'circuit breaker; and

Figure 6 is a section similar to Figure 5, with the circuit breaker inhorizontal position.

Referring to the drawing, in which similar parts are designated by likenumerals:

The circuit breaker illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 of the drawingcomprises a cylindrical casing designated generally by the referencenumeral 1. The casing 1 is constructed of two parts 3 and 9 connected toeach other by screwthreads ill. The lower part I is made of conductingmaterial and has the bottom ll provided with an aperture l2 to receive abolt I! which may be locked to the bottom Ii by means of the nut I4 andwasher ii. A second nut i6, screwthreaded onto the bolt I3, is usedtoclamp a contact terminal member ground the lower part 8.

The upper part 9 of the cylinder I is made of insulating material andhas the head l8 thereof apertured axially to receive the conductingmember IS. The member l9, provided with a head 20, is received in acountersink 2i formed in the said head. The lower part of the member I!is screwthreaded to receive a nut 22 which serves to clamp theconducting disc 23 against a shoulder formed on the member iii. The disc23 is of the same diameter as the interior of the cylindrical member Iand serves as a contact element between the conducting part 8 of thecylinder 1 and the conducting member l9 when the cylinder is moved froma vertical to a horizontal position, and the mercury 24, contained inthe I] in position to cylinder, closes the circuit between said part 8and member IS.

The upper end of the member I! is axially bored and screwthreaded toreceive a conducting screw 25 which is used to clamp a small sheet ofinsulating material 28 against the head i8 oi the part 8, and againstthe head of the conducting inember I9. A sheet 28 forms the support fora pair of fuse clips 21 and 28, which are riveted or otherwise suitablysecured, in proper spaced apart relation, to the sheet 26.

The clip 21 may be connected by the wire 29 to the wiring 3!! connectingthe battery B to the starter, the battery B being grounded as usual tothe framework of thevehicle. The clip 28 may be connected by a wire 3|to the ammeter (not shown) which is usually mounted on the dash-board ofa vehicle. A fuse F inserted in the clips 21 and 23 closes the circuitbetween the wires 23 and 3|. Obviously when the line through the fuse isgrounded, the fuse will blow", and maintain the circuit broken until anew fuse shall have been placed inthe clips.

To complete the circuit between the conducting member 19 and the fuseclip 28, a strip'of conducting material 32 is secured at one end to thebase of the clip 28, and at its other end is apertured to receive theshank of the screw 25, and to be clamped by the head of said screwagainst the supporting sheet 26.

In order to prevent grounding of the circuit by a splashing of, themercury in the cylinder 1, due to passage oi the vehicle over roughroads, and without any tilting of the cylinder to horizontal position,the lower end of the conducting memher I! is provided with an externallyscrewthreaded projection 33 to which is connected, detachably, a rod 34of insulating material. Spaced apart along the rod 34 is a series ofdiscs 36, 36, and 31, suitably secured in position by screws 38. Thediscs 35, 36, and 31 are beveled downwardly so as to deflect downwardlyin the cylinder i, any mercury which might come in contact with thebeveled periphery of the discs by vertical splashing of the mercury.Preferably the discs increase in diameter with their distances from thebottom of the cylinder ll, so as effectively to prevent short-circuitingof the system by splashing of the mercury due to the passage of thevehicle over rough roads.

The invention illustrated in Figures and 6, performs the same functionas that shown in Figures 1 to 4. In the second form, however, the fuseis eliminated, and the circuit is broken mechanically and remains brokenuntil an operator sets the device to close the circuit. The second form,therefore, comprises a cylinder 39, of conducting material, and closedat the top by a detachable plate 663. A contact terminal (it connectsthe plate ill to the wire Ell leading to the ammeter on the dash-boardof the vehicle.

A conducting member 32 is screwthreaded at its upper end to seat in ascrewthreaded flange 33 projecting below the lower face of an annulus 63 of insulating material which separates the members'tll and at. Ascrewthreaded flange M projects above the upper face of annulus M and isinternally screwthreaded to mesh with the screwthreads on the lower endof cylinder 39. The annulus M and the flanges projecting therefromconstitute an insulated coupling and separator for the members 3% and42. Ihe lower end of the member M is provided with a contact screwdZ"adapted to be connected by the wire 2% to the line 30 connecting tthebattery B to the starter.

The cylinder 39 is bored throughout the greater part of its length tomeet the base of a cone it formed in the said cylinder 39, annulus idand conducting member 12. A circuit closer M5 is mounted to slide freelyin the bore of the cylinder 39, and has its lower end ll shaped as acone to fit the cone it formed in the members 39, 32 and M.

It will be apparent from Figure 4 of the drawing that when the device isin vertical position, the member Mi will bridge the insulating annulus il to close the circuit between the wires 29 and M. When the device istilted to the horizontal, or relative thereto as shown in Figure 6 ofthe drawing, the circuit closer at slides in the cylinder 39 out ofcontact with the member 12 and breaks the circuit through the wires 29and iii In order to maintain the circuit broken during the righting ofthe vehicle, the member $2 is bored radially to receive slidably a rod88 of insulating material, The rod it is connected by a spring W to aplug 5b which is screwthreaded into an internally screwthreaded bore tilformed in th side of said member 52.

Obviously, the spring 69 will force the rod id across the axis of thecloser ift whenever the latter is moved away from circuit closingposition, shown in Figure 5 of the drawing, to circuit breaking positionshown in Figure 6. Obviously,

' too, the rod 13 when in position shown in Figure 6, will maintain thecircuit broken until the operator withdraws the rod it by means of theplug bill and spring it to permit the closer it to move by gravity intocircuit-closing position when the vehicle is in upright position.

Numerous variations may doubtless be devised by persons skilled in theart without departing from the principles of my invention. I, therefore,desire no limitations to be imposed on my aoeaaes invention, except suchas are indicated in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A circuit breaker comprising a cylindrical casing adapted to bemounted on an automobile in normally vertical position, said casingincluding .a lower conducting part adapted to be grounded to theautomobile, and an upper insulating part detachably connected to thelower part and forming an insulated support for fuse clips, fuse clipssecured to said upper part, a conducting member extending through saidupper part and electrically connected to one of said clips, and aconducting liquid partly filling the lower part while the'latter is invertical position and adapted to close the circuit between said lowerpart and said conducting member when the casing is moved from verticalto horizontal position.

2. The combination with the device set forth in claim 1 of insulatingmeans connected to said conducting member and depending axially of thecasing into said liquid to prevent splashing of the liquid conductorfrom said lower part into contact with said conducting member.

3. The combination with the device set forth in claim 1 of a rod ofinsulating material connected to and depending from said conductingmember and extending axially of said casing into said liquid, and aseries of annular baffle plates spaced lengthwise of said rod to preventcontact of the conducting liquid with said conducting member while thecasing is in vertical position.

4. The combination with the device set forth in claim 1 of a rod ofinsulating material connected to and depending from said conductingmember and extending into the liquid in said lower part, and a series ofannular baffle plates spaced lengthwise of said rod to prevent contactof the conducting liquid with said conducting member while the casing isin vertical position, the peripheries of said baille plate being beveledtoward the axis of said rod and the said lower part for deflecting theconducting liquid downwardly while the casing is in normal verticalposition.

5. The combination with the device set forth in claim 1 of a rod ofinsulating material connected to and depending from said conductingmember and extending into said lower part, and a series of annularbafile plates spaced lengthwise of said rod to prevent contact of theconducting liquid with said conducting member while the casing is invertical position, said bame plates increasing in diameter as theyrecede from said lower part.

6. A circuit breaker comprising a cylindrical casing adapted to bemounted on an automobile in normally vertical position, said casingincluding a lower conducting part and an upper insulating partdetachably connected to each other, a conducting member extendingthrough said upper insulating part, contact terminals connected to saidlower part and member, a conducting liquid partly filling said lowerpart while the latter is in vertical position and adapted to close thecircuit between said terminals when the casing is moved from vertical tohorizontal position, a rod of insulating material connected to anddepending from said conducting member, and a series of annular balileplates placed apart lengthwise on said rod to prevent contact of theconducting liquid with said conducting member while the casing is invertical position.

